Parents and Families

Winter Wellness: Students Can Stay Active

Colder weather and limited hours of daylight can bring out the natural instinct to hibernate and stay inside, even in the most active person. Finding the time and energy to workout in students’ already busy days can also be an issue. Regardless of how they maintain their physical activity level, the important thing is that they do.

Here are a few tips that Recreational Sports offers to students – and they can be helpful to parents as well.

Mix It Up – After finding the activity that fits their schedule and physical activity needs, students should make some variations to it, like adding weight training, circuit training, or spice it up with a fitness class (U-Move or MHealthy) to keep going.

Stay Positive – The winter months can be long, but staying positive is critical to staying active. A positive attitude will help workout time go faster and leave one feeling renewed afterwards.

Some students may get the “winter blues,” or more severe seasonal affective disorder (SAD). SAD symptoms include low mood, lack of energy and increased sleeping and eating. If your student experiences low mood during fall or winter, they should consider talking to a counselor at the Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) about treatment options.

Find the Fun – There are many opportunities on campus for students to find the fun in physical activity and enjoy the weather. Outdoor Adventures offers cross country and downhill skiing, ice climbing, winter camping, dog sledding, snowshoeing which are all terrific ways for students to stay active during the winter months.

There are three recreation centers on campus that are available to your student for free. Encourage your student to use the campus recreation resources to maintain their physical activity level throughout the winter months. It will help your student to stay healthy in body and mind, and to be motivated for the coming spring.